Construction of locks having rocking chambers.



PATBNTBD MAR. IO, 190s.

L. O. DI. PREVILLB.. CONSTRUCTION OF LOOKS HAVING BOOKING CHAMBERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1902.

U0 HODBL.

NITnD STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS CHRISTIAN DE PREVILLE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKSHAVlNG ROCKING CHAMBERS.

srEcIFIcATIoN forming part fietsers Patent No. 722,537, dated March 10, 1903. Application filed November 19, 1902. Serial No. 132,031. (No'model.)

To all whom, it may oon/cern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS CHRISTIANDE PREvILLE,a citizen ofthe Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Locks Having Rocking Chambers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locks having rocking 'chambers or sasses.

A rocking-chamber lock consists in a construction in the form of a dock, the arrangement of which is such .that a rocking movement around a `fined axis raises the plane of the water within the app'aratus. This elevation permits of the passage of a boat from.

one reach to a higher reach by the simple fact of the oscillation. The mounting of an appliance of a weight of this magnitude upon a fixed axis presents manydifficulties.

The object of this invention is to replace this arrangement by a rolling surface oering all the advantages of a simple and strong appliance and obviating the defects presented by frictional or pivoting members mounted beneath the water.

The equilibrium of a lock-chamber depends upon the position of the masses of water whichit contains. That of these masses,which serves as an artificial reach for fioating vessels, is displaced horizontally as well as vertically. It collects during the elevation behind the point of support and then serves as a counterweight to the portion of the chamber which emerges as a result of this movement. It is, however, difficult to constitute by its means a counterweight of sufcient magni-j tude to reduce to a minimumthe effort necessary for operating the bascule of the lockchamber. In order to diminish this 'effort by balancing the chamber more efficiently, I propose to add to it a movable water ballast independent thereof and constantly maintained above the level of the lower reach and adapted to automatically change its position according as the chambers are rocked, so as to cause them to be elevated or toV be lowered. As it never falls below this level it would always produce its maximum effect. In order to obviate this defect, the mass of water constituting the ballast or coun'terweight is lodged in the sides or hollow walls of the lock-chamber. A further condition essential for the efficient A upper reach is very great.

'through this support.

operation of a rocking lock-chamber is that it shall be arrested at the limits of its travel 'in an invariable manner, while communication is established with the upper or lower reaches. While this communication exists with the upper reach, it should not be possible for the chamber to become detached, as otherwise the danger of the emptying of the In the lower position, von the contrary, the lower reach would Aempty itself partially if the movement commenced before the closing of theldwer gate. In order to obviate these dangers, it is desirable to secure the lock-chambers by means of one and the sameappliance or of two distinct appliances of then same kind.,Y

In order that the various improvements comprised in this invention may be readily and clearly understood, I will now describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a diagrammatic longitudinal elevation of a lock having an improved rocking chamber. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the lock on the line A B of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an elevation, upon a larger scale, of the support employed. Fig. 4 is a cross section Y Fig. 5 is a figure corresponding vto Fig.'1except that the rocking chamber occupies a different position.

Fig. 6 shows, upon a larger scale, the method of securing the rocking chamber.

A is the rocking lock-chamber, arranged in a waterway B, at the bottom of which it rolls at C upon a special support. This support consists, Figs. l, 3, and 4, of a beam a, fixed t0 the foundation'of the waterway B. Its upper face may be either plane or curved.

'Upon this beam travels a part b, appertaining to the rocking chamber A and presenting a curved, cylindrical, or other suitable surface, permitting of the necessary rolling movement corresponding to the oscillation of the chamber A. The diderent points of this latter do not therefore describe arcsof circles, but evolvents, which invariably permit of its approach to the upper head inV suitable kinematic conditions for making a joint with the fixed parts. In addition the lateral portions of the fixed part ct and also of the movable part b may be arranged with steps having the form of teeth, ratchets, or gearing, pre- IOO venting any relative sliding of the parts, and thus insuring tixity in the position of the lockchamber, so that it will certainly presentitself exactly to the reach with which it is to join.

Figs. 1 to 5 show a mass of water c, contained Within the sides of the rocking chamber A and serving as ballast or counter-weight. This mass of water, according to the position of the chamber A, assumes the form shown in Fig. lor that represented in Fig. 5. It thus produces in each case the desired effect in passing from the right tothe left hand of the main point of support C of the chamber.

The securing of the chamber A, Fig. 6, is eected by means of a beam d, which preferably terminates at each extremity in a wedge-shaped portion e. This beam rests uponrollersf, supported by corbel-pieces g, which project from the lateral Walls of the lock at suitable points. It may be displaced upon its rollers by the tractive effort of `a double chain h, acted upon by a suitably-arranged windlass t'. The movement of the beam d to the right or left hand is thus provided for.

The rocking chamber A carries at its lower front angleabeam j,which traversesitthroughout and which extends to within close proxim ity of the lateral Wall. This beam jis presented when the chamber has completed its movement of ascent, Fig. 5, above two corbels itk, between which it has passed. The end of the movement of the chamber corresponds to a height such that the head e of the beam d comes in its displacement between it and the corbels 1c k. This head of Wedge shape locks the beam j, Fig. 6, and prevents the descent of the chamber A until it has been withdrawn. In the same manner when the chamber descends one extremity of a projecting beam Z, situated at the front upper head, or else a bracket projecting at this same point, presents itself, so as to wedge the other extremity e of the beam CZ. The chamber A having descended, the beam d is displaced toward the opposite side (as compared with the movement first described, Fig. l, and dotted lines, Fig. 6,) and comes between the bracket Z and two other corbels m fm, suitably arranged in the lateral wall. The beam CZ thus produces a wedging action inverse to the rst, absolutely preventing the chamber A from commencing a movement of ascent before it has been withdrawn. The beam d may, if desired, be composed of two parts, each fulfilling the functions enumerated above. The extreme positions of the beam d or of the beams which may replace it correspond to electrical or mechanical disengagements which prevent any starting of the lifting mechanism while the wedging exists. In the same way the operating capstan for the doors may be locked, electrically or otherwise, with the capstans for the beamed. It follows from this that practically absolute security in the maneuvering of the rocking lock-chamber is insured. A

I claim as my inventionl. A lock, comprising rocking chambers, and a support therefor on which the chambers are adapted to rock, said support consisting of rolling segments, as and for the purpose described.

2. A lock having rocking chambers, one chamber for the vessel 'to be locked through, and a second. chamber, independent of the first, holding a movable ballast adapted to be automatically moved upon the rocking of the .chambers to hold the chambers in the position they are to occupy, substantially as described.

3. A lock comprising rocking chambers, and a support for them to rock upon, one chamber containing the vessel to be locked through,"and a second chamber, independent of the first, adapted to contain liquid, and so formed as to cause the liquid therein to occupy a position on one side or the other of such support according to the tilt of the chambers, whereby said liquid acts automaticall y as a ballast, substantially as described.

4. A lock, comprising an upper reach and a lower reach, rocking chambers, a support for them to rock upon, and a ballast-chamber above the level of the lower reach and containing liquid, such chamber being so formed that the liquid is caused to flow to one side or the other of the support according to the tilt of the chambers, substantially as described.

' 5. A lock, comprising rocking chambers, a support on which they rock, and beams to lock said chambers in extreme positions of tilt, substantially as described.

6. A lock, comprising rocking chambers, a support for them to rock u-pon, a waterway, an upper reach and a lower reach, a beamlat the side of the waterway and projections from the rocking chamber with which the beam is adapted to engage to lock the chambers in extreme positions of tilt, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS CHRISTIAN DE PREVILLE.

Witnesses:

LEON FRANCKEN, EDWARD P. MAGLEAN.

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